Environmental awareness tends to grow more intensely when the negative consequences of pollution become closer to our everyday lives or directly affect us. This is natural since we care the most when those dearest to us, especially the most vulnerable ones, are at risk. Until now, we’ve become familiar with the effects of various types of pollution on the environment, biodiversity, and human health. We often discuss pollution of oceans, forests, parks, and rivers caused by waste, harmful gas emissions, chemicals, and other factors. However, there is one type of pollution that is often overlooked but can have serious negative consequences—noise pollution.
Would it surprise you if I told you that, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), noise pollution from transport—such as vehicles, trains, and airplanes—is among the most harmful environmental factors for human health? It ranks just behind air pollution.
Reflecting on this topic, I asked myself how noise affects me. When I go to bed, silence is essential. However, I live near a road where drivers often speed at night. The roar of engines and the screech of tires repeatedly unsettle me, even evoking fear. During the day, while working on my laptop, I manage to mask the traffic noise with background music. But as I think about situations where noise bothers me, my thoughts turn to children. If noise disrupts me as an adult—despite having somewhat adapted to it over the years—how much more does it affect children? Children who are learning, sleeping, or attending classes.
How Does Noise Affect Children’s Development?
Research shows that this type of pollution can cause severe health issues, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, as well as mental health disorders. Particularly alarming is the finding that chronic exposure to traffic noise can negatively impact children, who are at a critical stage of learning and development. Studies increasingly indicate that children exposed to noise caused by transportation may experience cognitive challenges, learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and even obesity.
During adolescence, exposure to such pollution has been linked to anxiety, while exposure to transport noise in early childhood can lead to mental health issues later in adulthood.
The EEA provided more precise data on children in Europe aged 6 to 17 who experience difficulties in reading or behavior due to exposure to transport noise. A 2022 study covered noise from road, rail, and air traffic, including data on children in both urban and rural environments. Although detailed data were presented for each group, I will summarize the total numbers for both environments.
Regarding reading difficulties, road traffic has the greatest impact, affecting over 450,000 children, followed by rail traffic with over 80,000 and air traffic with nearly 8,000 children. The alarming figure is that more than half a million children are affected.
Although fewer children are impacted by behavioral difficulties due to this noise, each individual case represents a serious issue. Road traffic affects more than 50,000 children, rail traffic nearly 8,000, and air traffic about 600 children.
How Can We Reduce Noise Exposure in Children?
To minimize children’s exposure to transport noise, comprehensive measures are necessary. Speed limits on roads and the installation of noise barriers can significantly reduce noise levels, while designing school buildings away from busy traffic areas provides additional protection. Quality sound insulation of walls, windows, and doors in schools and residential buildings plays a crucial role in maintaining silence. Planting trees around these buildings not only reduces noise levels but also creates a more pleasant and healthier environment. These measures are equally important for residential buildings to ensure better protection from noise in everyday life.
Finally, we should all reflect on how transport noise affects us, even if we don’t notice it immediately. Perhaps now is the right time to talk to children about whether noise bothers them and how they feel in their daily environment. Such conversations can help us better understand their needs and contribute to creating a quieter and healthier space for their growth and development.
